MOVABLE STATIONERY
Volume 3 Number 5
September 1995
Children's pop-ups, movables
and novelty books:
A short history for collectors
Parti
Michael Dawson
Bath. England
When is a book not a book? When it's an audio
cassette, perhaps? Or a CD-ROM data retrieval source?
Or even - at a simpler level - when it's merely a toy?
Pop-up and movable books have always been a bit
difficult for publishers and librarians to classify. For
instance, not many early children's novelty books found
their way into the British Museum Library, presumably
because such things were not then regarded as important
enough to fall within the terms of the Copyright Act.
Mores the pity, smce pristine copies of some of the titles
that are now known only from a few remaining child-
battered fragments would have been a marvelous
resource for those studying a genre that is only now
coming fulfy into its own.
Obviously it is the popular children's books that
receive the most grueling treatment - favorite stories are
poured over, passed around family and friends,
annotated, thumbed and folded - maybe down two or
three generations - whereas religious tracts and works of
an "improving"' nature have tended to stay clean... and
largely unread. But however vulnerable conventional
books may be to over-enthusiastic young readers,
patently those that contain moving or folding parts are
bound to be even more at risk. It is for this reason that
surviving pop-ups and movables dating from before the
1850s are now extremely rare, sometimes changing
hands at prices well into the upper four figure bracket.
No one is exactly certain when the first movable
appeared Certainly in the sixteenth century, several
learned astronomical treatise were published on the
continent containing overlaying revolves that could be
manipulated so as to determine the movements of
planets, of which the Astronomicum Caesareum of
Petrus Apianus (Ingolstadt. 1540) is perhaps the best
known. The same idea was used more frivolously in the
next century when various pastimes appeared in book
form purporting to read character or tell fortunes by
means of revolving pointers - Nathaniel Crouche's
Delights for the ingenious (London. 1684) being an
example. By the eighteenth century reproductive
techniques had advanced to the extent that printing
became for the first time a truly mass medium. There was
a profusion of illustrated books and prints - often sold on
street corners for coppers. One type of children's toy-
book, first produced in Britain by Robert Saver in Fleet
Street about 1766. incorporated a series of overlaps
hinged to the pages that enabled the young owner to re-
arrange parts of each steel-engraved picture so as to bring
about a "metamorphosis." The idea proved successful
and many other publishers, both here and overseas,
copied the tum-up gimmick to tell simple moral tales
(John Bunyan's Pilgrim 's progress was a popular
subject) or episodes in the Harlequin and Columbine tale
- hence the most common name for the genre:
Harlequinade. Although almost fifty separate titles
appeared in this country alone, many of which were
undoubtedly reprinted until the plates wore out,
comparatively few have survived - probably the best
collection now to be found is in the University of
California Library in Los Angeles.
The notion that children should have books simply to
enjoy is comparatively recent: in the eighteenth and early
nineteenth centuries they were predominantly for
instruction or moral improvement, not fun. Hence the
curious Toilet Books that were fashionable in the 1820s.
Near-miniature in format, comprised of eight or nine
short verses describing each of virtues, the illustrations
printed opposite (often hand-colored) incorporated a lift-
flap behind which an appropriate bon mot or
supplementary picture could be found. William Grimaldi
(a miniature painter) and his son Stacey (a London
solicitor) published the first, called simple The Toilet in
1821; innumerable imitations and variations were to
follow.
About three decades later the firm of Dean & Sons.
Printers and Publishers. Ludgate Hill (producer of
scholastic books, primers and scriptural items for Sunday
schools) decided to expand their range by including a
series that incorporated hand-colored plates with simple,
tab-operated animations, subsequently claiming to have
been the "originators Children's Moveable Books" -
The Movable Book Society
Movable Stationery is the quarterly publication of The
Movable Book Society. Letters and articles from
members on relevant subjects are welcome. Advertising
is accepted free of charge from members and is included
when space permits. The annual membership fee for The
Society is $15.00. For more information contact Ann
Montanaro, The Movable Book Society, P.O. Box
1 1654, New Brunswick. New Jersey 08906.
Daytime telephone: 908-445-5896
Evening telephone: 908-247-6071
e-mail : montanaroffl [zodiac . rut gers . edu
Fax: 908-445-5888
The deadline for the next issue is November 15.
though this is sometimes queried. One of the best known
of their early tides Dean 's moveable book of children 's
sports and pastimes first appeared in December 1857.
probably in an edition of 4000. This is known because at
that tune the firm's policy was to mclude the print -run.
month and year of publication (4000-12.57) at the
bottom of the rear cover advertisement. Three years later
(i.e. 4000-3.60) Dean 's moveable dogs ' party was to
follow, along with more than a dozen other titles in this
early series. Despite being made entirely of cut-out paper
(not card) joined by thin wire pivots then laboriously
tinted and assembled by hand - for sale at possibly no
more than 1/- or 1/6 (5p - 7 V 2 p) - there are still quite a
few of these about, often working, with plates looking
almost as fresh as when first issued.
Following Dean & Son's success with such
innovations, several other London publishers (such as
Ward & Lock. Darton & Read and Raphael Tuck)
entered the field with similar novelties: picture books
with dissolving scenes (overlapping slats activated by
pull-tabs), peep-shows (layered views opening like a
concertina, enabling the spectator to spy a scene in
perspective through a tiny hole at the front) and
proscenium arch effects - miniature theatrical set-pieces
that folded out as the pages opened. Great ingenuity was
brought to play by designers and paper engineers (though
that term wasn't used then) in an effort to outsmart rivals
and lure young customers into buying - or nagging their
parents and grandparents to buy! Ingenious though many
were, it has to be said that some were crudely made
Dean & Son survived, its name still on pop-ups right up
until 1985. because it not only had clever ideas but the
means to manufacture them effectively.
But England w as no longer at the forefront of color
printing technology. Steel plate engraving was being
superseded by lithography as a means of quality mass
production and southern Germany not onlv had the
materials necessary (Bavarian limestone) but the
expertise to exploit it. Ernest Nister was one entrepreneur
who saw the opportunity to develop an Anglo-German
trade link combining German process-work to produce
gift books for children of unrivaled beauty and charm
The London office of Ernest Nister was opened at 24 St
Bride Street (off Fleet Street) in 1888 with the writer
Robert Ellice Mack as director and talent-spotter. He
helped develop the distinctive house style by selecting the
writers and dlustrators who could create an idyll of
perfectly-behaved children living lives of bucolic bliss.
These edited confections were sent to Nurnberg for
revision and processing, where apparently Nister himself
played an important part m supervising production. It is
said that for some of the chromolitho graphic plates, up to
30 overlaid colors might be used to obtain subtlety of
gradation and richness of color. No doubt this explains
why. once prepared the illustrations often appear in other
forms, permutated through several tides.
Ernest Nister (and its American associate company
E.P. Dutton & Co. of New York) produced vast
quantities of conventional cluldren's titles: annuals,
religious picture books and illustrated fairy stories - all
containing fine color work. But the firm always
maintained a strong line in 3-D books and movables,
perhaps because of a personal predilection by its
founder? These books are often folio size with lavish
pictorial board covers and they divide into three main
categories (with innumerable minor variations): those
with dissolving mechanisms, often in the form of
interleaved horizontal slats that transform one picture into
another when a tab is pulled (e.g. Come and go. 1895):
those with revolving mechanisms, with also produce a
transformation, though one brought about by revolving
one disc interlea%'ed with another (e.g. Revolving
pictures. 1895); and finally, three-dimensional stand-up
picture books in which some form of proscenium is often
erected, behind which a layered tableau forms - rather
like a traditional stage setting complete with tabs and
backdrop (e.g. Peeps into faiiy land. 1895). Another
type of stand-up much favored by Nister also provides a
self-erecting layered tableau but one that stand freely,
without a proscenium surround, each layer is mounted on
card armatures or hollow boxes that ingeniously collapse
as the pages close (e.g. The soldier panorama. C 1900).
There are. incidentally, modern interpretations of all
these Nister types: some are fairly accurate facsirmies.
others are virtual reinventions in Nister' s nostalgic style.
None succeed entirely m capturing the subUe quality of
the original chrornolithoed plates.
Running neck and neck with Nister at this time was an
equally brilliant German children's book originator but
one of quite different temperament: whereas Nister's
dream-world undoubtedly captivated litde Victorian girls
( and their mothers) the down-to-earth j oculanty of Lothar
Meggendorfer must have appealed much more to roguish
continued on page 9
ROBERT SABUDA
1 w - Awful
2 "fc - POOR
4 "& - Good
5 *fa - Superb
^k everal readers responded to my reviews in
/ ^ the last issue of MS and I would like to take
^— ' a moment to address a few.
The difference between an accordion bound
book and a signature sewn book is shown below.
Accordion binding gives a much stronger
finished page since it is double the thickness of the
paper stock when glued together. But signature
sewing is more economical since printing can be
done on each side of the actual page thereby using
only half the amount of paper.
One reader wanted to know what criteria I used
when reviewing. A movable title with beautiful
illustrations does not neccesarily mean it is a good
pop-up book. Neither is a book with just amazing
engineering. It is a combination of the two (and
hopefully a wonderful story or non-fiction theme)
that makes it successful. When I stated that Leo-
nardo Da Vinci: A three-dimensional study was "a
bit underwhelming" I certainly don't mean to imply
that Da Vinci's creations are underwhelming. But do
we need to see Da Vinci's drawings and paintings in
3-D They are already stunning drawings and
paintings in 2-D. Paper engineering is unnecessary.
Leonardo's tank on spread two is a wonderful
combination of art and paperwork, but the text never
tells us if this revolutionary machine was ever built
in the inventor's time. Surely a disappointing
omission for the young reader. To put it plainly, I
feel that a great pop-up book (like a great flat,
picture book) should sing to the heart of the viewer.
Lastly, another reader noted the curious lack of
titles from the Walt Disney Company. I have
nothing against Disney Press books (except the ones
where you stick your fingers in a hole and wiggle it
around so your favorite Disney characters look like
they're on a college drinking binge). I love Disney's
films but feel that the books they create are not really
novelties (as in 'pop-up books'), but more like
merchandise (as in 'go see the movie').
With that in mind, for your consideration....
Everyone needs their own spot - Changing
Picture Book 111: Mary Engelbreit. Paper
Eng: Intervisual Books, Inc. Pub: Andrews
andMcMeel. $6.95 US, $9.95 CAN. 13x16.5cm. 10
pages, accordion bound. 1 pop, 4 dissolving slat
scenes. Art: Warm and fuzzy pencil and watercolor
Plot: Finding time for yourself, ala Engelbreit. Cute
in a greeting card-like way. Paper Eng: Very Simple
Also: That's what friends are for, 0-8362-4631-4.
Helping Hector - A lift-the-flaps, turn-the-
wheels and start-all-over-again book. By
Gus Clarke. Pub: Artists & Writers Guild
Books. $12.95 US, $16.95 CAN. 9-780307-175175.
22x22cm. 18 pages, accordion bound. 4 revolving
wheels, 35 flaps. Art: Humorous pen and watercolor.
Plot: A mouse keeps misplacing his belongings.
Turn the wheels and lift the flaps to find the items.
Fun for flap lovers. Paper Eng: Very Simple
Tambourina 's Troubles - A pop-up
storybook Text: Shen Roddie. Ill: Maureen
Roffey. Paper Eng: Richard Ferguson. Pub:
Joshua Morris. $11.95 US, $17.95 CAN. 0-89577-
674-x. 14x28cm. 9 spreads, signature sewn. 1 pop,
7 tab mechs, 5 flaps. Art: Humorous pen and bright,
flat colors. Plot: A too kind turtle offers a mountain
of friends a ride. Cute lesson. Paper Eng: Simple.
Tyrannosaurus Rex -The Tyrant King. A
Fact-Filled Three-Dimensional Book.
Editorial Consultancy: Dougal Dixon. Ill:
John Sibbick. Paper Eng: David Hawcock. Pub:
Chronicle Books. $14.95 US. 0-8118-0835-1.
22x32 cm. 6 spreads, signature sewn. 2 pops, 6 flaps
(on diagram of Rex's anatomy). Art: Realistic, scien-
tific paintings. Plot: Everything you ever wanted to
know about T-Rex. Last spread of book folds back
over itself to create 2 foot long dinosaur (it took me a
while to figure this out. If you get the book look on
back cover for finished model). If you're into
dinosaurs you'll probably want it. Would have rated
higher with more pops. Paper Eng: Complex.
^^^ A Walk in Monet 's Garden - Full color
AJLjV pop-up with guided tour. Text: Frances
^^^* Lincoln Ltd. Ill: Francesca Crespi. Paper
Eng: Uncredited. Pub: Bulfinch Press (div. of Little,
Brown). $19.95 US, $25.95 CAN. 0-8212-2195-7.
Umt consits of 1: a soft bound tour book (no pops)
19x1 2cm. featuring reproductions of Monet's
paintings and photos of the artist at work; 2: a nine
panel, 76x46cm. fold-out and pop-up of Monet's
garden (watercolor art by Francesca Crespi);
and 3: a 23.5x26cm. case to hold it all. Plot: A
visual tour of Monet's inspiring passion. Pops must
each be unfolded by hand. Greenhouses have clear,
plastic windowpanes. Nice art
) as usual by Crespi although
colors a bit dull for a garden.
Paper Eng: Simple and (I hate
to say it) a little uninspired.
But still a lovely and unusual
paper (novelty/toy?) item.
Selling like crazy in NYC.
juf.
illustrations being designed so ingeniously that the coins
complete the pictures: they become the wheels of a bike,
or propellers of a plane, the port-holes of a ship, the tires
of a car. etc. There is even room for paper money to
transform into a flag!
It is unclear to me who compiled the book as Mr. Sarg
died m 1942.
Another addition to the work of Tony Sarg is the Tony
Sarg magic movie book also published posthumously, in
1943. See a description of this book in Montanaro, page
315.
Are there other titles in readers collections which
have not been mentioned till now?
Theo Gielen
The Netherlands
Catalogs Recently Received
Each of these catalogs includes
pop-up or movable books.
Books in Motion: Specialists in pop-up and movable
books. Catalog 2. Box 952 Teaneck. New Jersey
07666.201-358-0231.
Letters
& You've enriched my mind once again. Acting on the
hint in Movable Stationery, on my visit to Los Angeles I
went to the Special Collection Department at UCLA. I
was issued a library card and had a great time looking at
random choices from the Hunt Collection. There was also
an extensive display of "'Book as Art"' in cases on the first
floor
If anyone is interested in cooperating in the publishing
of a series of circus books and puzzles of knows of a firm
that needs designs. I would like the contact.
Marcia Kahn
New Rochelle. New York
3 What a nice article on illustrator and paper engineer
Tony Sarg by Michael Mullen in the recent Movable
Stationery*. Such are the articles we want to read. Who
will follow-up and write articles on all the other makers
of pop-up and movable books of whom so little is
known?
I can give a slight addition to the information Michael
gave. There is another "novelty" done by Tony Sarg:
Tony Sarg 's saving book: A trip to Golden City.
Cleveland and New York. The World Publishing Co.
n.d. (1946). 220 x 285 mm. 12 p. Spiral bound,
in dustwrapper.
This book has beautiful, full-page illustrations in full
color and enframed texts. Each illustration has several
slots into which the owner can insert coins, the
Books of the Ages. Catalogue 7. Gary Overmann.
Maple Ridge Manor. 4764 Sifverwood Drive. Batavia,
Ohio 45103. 513-732-3456
Cattermole 20th Century Children's Books The book
of a thousand books and a book. Catalog 24. 9880
Fairmount Road.. Newbury. Ohio 44065.
216-338-3253.
Al Dalrymple. Autumn Fires. Catalogue 18. 1791
Graefield. Birmingham. MI 48009.810-649-2149.
Harold M. Burstein &. Company. Summer Miscellany.
Catalog 148. 36 Riverside Dr. Waltham. MA 02154.
617-893-7974.
Jo Ann Reisler. Ltd. Midsummer Miscellany. 360
Glyndon St. NE. Vienna. VA. 22180. 703-938-2967.
Robm Greer. Catalogue Ninety-six. 29 Oxberry Ave.
London. SW6 5SP. England. Phone: 0171-736-3707.
International Access: +44+171-736-3707.
Somewhere Books. Children's & Illustrated Catalog
#3. P.O. Box 23 1503. Encinitas. CA 92023.
619-753-6547.
Unicorn Books. 56 Rowlands Ave.. Hatch End.
Middlesex HA5 4BP. England.
Phone: 0181-420-1091.
Wooden Porch Books. Rte 1 Box 262. Middlebourne.
West Virginia. 26149. 304-386-4434.
The Bologna Children's Book Fair
Jane McCullam
Newbury. Ohio
The annual Bologna Children 's Book Fair brings
together children 's bookpublishers, booksellers,
writers, illustrators, librariatis, teachers and literary
agents from all over the world. An important activity
at the Fair is the negotiation of licenses, rights and
coproductions. Jane reports on the McCullam 's visit
to the 1995 Fair.
We flew in to the Malpensa airport on a bright
spring morning and took a bus to the Milan train station
where we boarded one of the clean, fast trains for
Bologna. Our hotel the "Marco Polo.'" was a new one,
on the outskirts of the town, but close to the book fan.
It was a family-run hotel-ristorante. far more comfor-
table, clean, and considerate of guests than American
hotels. We were about a half-hour's walk from the
fairground, through a quiet park that will eventually be
an historical reconstruction of the old ironworks, and
beyond through a pleasant residential area.
The Fiera is huge, with a dozen or more enormous
exhibition halls. It had the festive, expansive look and
feel of World's Fairs. We went to the Italian pavilions
first, mostly because they looked much more
interesting and of a human scale. The very first booth
we saw was devoted to movable books. It belonged to
Mr. Massimo Missiroli of II Libro Ha Tre Dimensione,
the mam Italian distributor (and collector) of 3-D and
pop-up material. His business card is a die-cut, pop-up
castle The booth was on a corner, with the two outside
walls made of deep, glassed-in display cases, giving
space to show dozens of pop-ups opened out flat and
visible to everyone. Mr. Missiroli included examples of
his own collection as well as the ones which he is
selling. We were pleased to find that the big Kubasta
Christopher Columbus pop-up has been reprinted in
Italian (1992).
There was a nice selection of paper model kits
exhibited by Albatros. from Prague. They have several
collections of ships and trucks that can't fail to touch
the paper engineer in us all.
On Saturday we looked at the non-Italian world -
Japan. France. Switzerland. Asia, and Scandinavia.
There were lots of beautiful books going begging
because they were too expensive, too local, or came
with poor translations, or just didn't look interesting
enough.
Ron Van der Meer's booth was the most exciting
for us. because we had a chance to meet and talk with
him and his family, as well as seeing pilot studies for
potential new works. We are awaiting the publication
of the Architecture pack, a companion to the Art,
Music, and Math packs. He had examples of his recent
pieces, such as Bugz, and a group of tiny books of short
quotations done for Running Press.
We had brought a large empty box with us on the
plane, to the bewilderment of the immigration officials.
and we managed to fill it with wonderful, special
treasures by the time we left Bologna.
The 33rd Bologna Children 's Book Fair will be held
April 11-14, 1996 at the Bologna Exhibition Centre.
For more information contact: BolognaFiere, Piazza
Costituzione 6, 40128 Bologna, Italy.
Treasure Hunting for Pop-ups
Lloyd and Mark Walters
Would you like to know where you can buy a $40
pop-up book for under a dollar? We do it on a regular
basis and so can you. Read on.
We are a father and son who own a used book store.
We buy. sell and trade a general variety of good, used
books. We also buy. sell and collect pop-ups. Problem!
In the store we hardly ever get pop-ups in good
condition. What to do?
We now regularly make the rounds of the thrift
stores in our area. Stores such as Goodwill. Salvation
Army and St. Vincent De Paul are some of the stores
run by charitable organizations. Here in the Phoenix
area there is also a large number of "for profit"' thrift
stores. These are very much like modern department
stores, except they feature good quality, used
merchandise, displayed in a modern manner.
Most thrift stores have a selection of used books.
Often the children's books have a shelf or two all their
own. It only takes a minute to scan through the
children's books to see if you can spot any pop-ups.
The spine of a pop-up has a different shape than most
books and the pages don't lay uniformly together as in
standard books. You soon leam to zero in on them in a
flash.
We visit these stores every couple of weeks. What
do we find? Every once in awhile we come across a
real treasure. A pop-up book in near new condition
priced at any where from 250 to $2.00. Other times we
find damaged books. continued on page 8
Pop-up Catalog #4
Over 100 books with
Ingenious Paper Engineering
Send $.32 SASE to:
About Books
P.O. Box 5717
Parsippany, N. J. 07054
How am I going to build that?
Robert Sabuda
In early 1 995 I had lunch with Neal Porter of
Orchard Books U.S. and Jim Diaz of White Heat Ltd.
The subject of our gathering was to discuss a limited
edition for the second printing of The Christmas
Alphabet. The first run had sold out and Orchard
was interested in something special the second time
around. A limited edition of 500 was agreed upon.
The unit would consist of a cloth bound copy of the
The Christmas Alphabet signed and numbered within
a cloth bound slip case. To make the item even more
unique (and worth the US $ 1 00 price tag! ) the
limited edition would include one large special pop,
also signed and numbered. This pop would be bound
as a seperate unit from the actual book but would
also fit in the slip case. Those were the easy
decisions.
They turned to me. "So, do you have any ideas
for the special pop?"
I tried to hide under the table pretending I had
dropped my napkin. Any ideas? How could I? For
those not familiar with The Christmas Alphabet it
contains 26 small doors which open to reveal a solid
white pop-up: A for Angel, B for Bell, etc. I had
used every single holiday image I could think of for
the book. My mind was now a blank.
"Maybe you could make a scene with some
element from every letter" said Jim causing me to
choke on my dessert.
"No, no," countered Neal "it needs to be simple.
That's why the book works. It's pure and simple."
I explained that I had used every image I could
think of.
"You haven't used a wreath" they said. That
was true! I hadn't. The special edition pop began
to take shape
In my notebook I made a quick sketch
of the wreath. Since The Christmas
Alphabet is an oblong book the
challenge will be to fill up a very long
space with a circular pop-up.
Next a small scale (125mm x 95mm,
closed) sketch model is made. This
allows me to physically conceptualize
all the folds needed. I also decide to
add a bird (upper left) for a bit of life.
A full scale (250mm x 190mm, closed)
working model is made. In the upper
comers of the card I attach pieces of
metallic colors (two different greens)
which represent the foil stamping on
the background of the finished pop.
Not wanting the bird to be lonely, I
add another on the right. A dove was
used in The Christmas Alphabet so I
choose partridges here. Berries are
sketched in with pencil on the wreath.
A finished 'comprehensive' or 'comp'
is needed for costing and marketing.
I start the finished comp by building
supports to hold up the wreath.
Rounded stabilizers in the gutter will
prevent the wreath from rocking back
and forth when open.
The bottom layer of the wreath is glued
to the supports. The stabilizers come
through at the gutter for added support
The berries are now punched out holes.
Risers are glued to the wreath's first
layer. Purely mechanical, the risers
will lift the top and bottom portions of
the next layer of wreath up and out to
create a perfect circle.
The second layer of wreath, in two
sections, is glued to the risers. The
first layer of ribbon (which is attached
to the bottom piece of wreath) is
folded into place.
Next the third layer of wreath is glued
to the first layer. Side supports extend
out from it to hold the last pieces of
wreath. The second layer of ribbon is
connected to the wreath's third layer.
The last side pieces of wreath are
attached. These pieces contain 'M 1 and
'W shaped mechanisms which will
cause the partridges to flap their wings
when the pop is opened and closed.
With their wings behind the
mechanisms and their bodies in front,
the partridges are glued into place.
Finally the bow and knot of the ribbon
are attached to complete the pop-up.
Two shades of green metallic papeT
are attached to the background (they
told me I could make it expensive so
why not!).
The finished comp is bound in red
cloth with my name on the cover
(which I hate'.). The finished piece
will be blind (no color) embossed with
the words The Christmas Alphabet.
I don't know how the limited editions will be sold yet. Check future editions of MS for details.
continued from page 5
We also buy these and use them for parts. Yes. it is
possible to find two or three damaged pop-ups of the
same title and with careful work, put together one very
nice book. If we offer a repaired book to a collector we
always identify' it as such.
In addition to thrift stores we also visit rummage
sales sponsored by churches or other local
organizations. These are more seasonal, but have
provided us with some very nice books.
We seldom chase garage or yard sales. Yes. we
have found valuable books there, but it just takes more
time than we can spare. It is much more productive to
let the thrift stores or churches do the gathering, so we
can spend just a few minutes finding what is valuable
to us.
Here's where it can be even more fun. As long as
you are making these visits why not look for other
items of value. We find valuable books of all kinds.
Collectable first editions, autographed books, last week
we purchased a matted and framed piece of original.
Brenda Starr comic strip art for $3.00! Now it hangs in
our store with a $ 1 50 price tag.
Here's another place to find great buys on pop-ups -
discount centers. They are a cluster of major retailer's
outlet stores. In a center near us they have a store called
Publishers Clearance Center. It is a large store packed
with "remainder" books. Remainders are publisher
over runs. They printed more books than could be sold
in book stores and now they are trying to get rid of
them. We bought a dozen different titles on our last
visit, all at half or less of the original price. Many are in
their original shrink wrap Just as in new bookstores,
you must carefully examine any pop-up not shrink
wrapped to be sure it is not damaged.
The thrill of the chase! That's part of the fun of
treasure hunting for pop-ups They are hiding right
there in your neighborhood! What are you waiting for?
Book Sales in America
Upcoming Events
The Metropolitan Children's Book & Antique Toy
Fair and Seminar will be held in New York City from
December 1-3. The seminar on Friday, December 1
w ill feature speakers with expertise on Johnny Gruelle
and Raggedy Ann & Andy; Collecting Golden Books;
Collecting Tasha Tudor; Series Books; Christmas
Books. Ephemera & Toys; and Collecting 19th and
20th Century Pop-up and Movable Books [with
Antonio Raimo and Ann Montanaro]. The seminar
costs $35 and includes three-day admission to the fair.
Advance registration is required.
On Saturday. December 2 Tasha Tudor will present
"An Illustrated Lecture." This event will include a
private reception and autographing session available by
reservation only. $150.
Book dealers from the U.S., England, and Germany
will be offering children's books for sale at the Fair.
For more information contact Metropolitan Book Fairs.
1 10 West 19th St.. New York 1001 1. telephone 212-
463-0200.
Letters
& In volume 3 #3 I read an article on Eurpoean pop-
up books by Theo Gielen. I enjoyed it immensely and
became quite excited about many of these books. I
began writing letters and ended up sending out nine of
them to inquire about prices in dollars, postage, etc. To
mv disappointment only two places responded - Albin
Michel from France and V. Schreber from Germany
(From whom I ordered ten books). They were on Visa
and I haven't received them yet but I'm sure they'll
arrive soon.
I wonder if any other subscriber has contacted these
publishers with more success than I. If so. I would be
eager to know as I am still interested in the books.
Lean Fiterstein
Roslvn. New York
Book sales in America: The guide to used book
sales throughout the USA is an informative publication
for those who are interested in attending local book
sales and events. Authors Tom and Helen Oram have
compiled a 370-page directory of used book sales held
by non-profit organizations. The soft cover book is
arranged by date, region, and states. The individual
entries for sales describe how many books are offered
for sale, the price range, and usual date of the sale. It is
available for $14.95 through book stores or from the
publisher: BAYSYS Publishing. P.O. Box 452.
Hudson. Massachusetts 01749. Telephone: 508-562-
3400. email: booksale.'3'.bavsvs.com. ISBN 0-
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PC Box 9CSS. San Cieeo. i\ 92169
continued from page 2
boys (indeed, one of his popular slat transformation
books is called Tricks of naughty boys, 1899). Nister's
background was as a fine art printer. Meggendorfer
came from the world of satire: for many years he
worked as a cartoonist on the German equivalent of
Punch. But he also had a life-long interest in puppets
so it was his special contribution to combine the skills
of a rumbustious illustrator with ingenious (card)
mechanisms that enabled his comic characters to move
about the page like demented manikins. Another
contrast between them was that Nister combined the
roles of printer and publisher but Meggendorfer
preferred to work more like a present-day "packager" -
thinking out new ideas, developing the concept,
producing artwork, designing the mechanics then
leaving it to others to print, publish and distribute. As a
result. Meggendorfer titles appeared in many
international editions: his German publishers were J.F.
Schreiber of Stuttgart and Esslingen and Braun &
Schneider of Munich: Grevel and (occasionally) Dean
produced English editions: Capendu and Dambuyant &
Guignard produced French ones and there were Italian,
Spanish. Russian. Swedish - even Bohemian (Czech
Republic) translations, too.
Meggendorfer was prolificalfy inventive, constantly
introducing new ways of intriguing and diverting
youngsters with his humor and skill. He produced
many types of movables - slat transformations,
tableaux or panoramas {International circus. 1889),
flap trans-formations (The jolly uncle, 1894), optical
illusions and 3-D puzzles of various kinds. But it is as
11
Jo oAnn ^isler, £td.
^lovable iBooks that Turn,
Top-up, Transform, and Other
Wonderful Things
We have been offering some of the
finest children's and illustrated
books to collectors since 1970.
Special emphasis on movable and
transforming books of all kinds
covering 1770 to the present.
$10.00 for a sample of our recent
catalogue (full color illustrations).
Si
360 Glyndon St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
(703)938-2967: FAX (703)938-9057
an animator of puppet-like figures that he is best
remembered: picture books whose lively characters -
whether human or animal - spring into manic life at the
pull of a tab. One tab only to each page: the amazing
trick was that he could produce so much - seemingly
conflicting - movement from one simple tug Of the
many titles of this type. Lebende tierbilder. ©1890,
(featuring farmyard animals): Travels of little Lord
Thumb and his man Damien. 1892 (about the adven-
tures of a diminutive English rrTlord and his servant)
and Always jolly! ', 1889 (a compendium of odd-ball
performers both human and circus) are notable. In
1 985 Waldo Hunt of Intervisual Communications paid
his own tribute by producing The genius ofLothar
Meggendorfer with a preface by Maurice Sendak:
besides introductory appreciations it contains six
facsimile animations, one of which has a transparent
back panel so that one can see exactly how the
mechanism works.
Undoubtedly, the last decade of the nineteenth
century was a golden era for lavishly-produced novelty
books, with Nister and Meggendorfer vying for supre-
macy. The number of titles from these two - plus rival
publishers and imitators elsewhere - is impressive even
by modern mass production standards. But as the
clouds of war began to gather with the arrival of the
new century it was inevitable that such abundance
would end.
Nister died suddenly in 1909 but though his firm
survived his loss it couldn't survive the outbreak of
hostilities and the wave of anti-German fervor it
produced here and (to a lesser extent) in America.
The total and immediate loss of the English-speaking
market had an equally devastating effect on
Meggendorfer' s publishers: although Lothar lived on
until 1925 when he was approaching his eighties, he
T.W. Clemmer, Bookseller
236 Manor Dnve. Richboro, PA 18954
1-215-355-1627
Pop-up Catalog #6
Ready in September
Highlights to Include:
THE VOYAGE^F MARCO POLO. 1962.
Bancroft & Co. $125
THE ADVENTURES OF SINBAD THE SAILOR
1960. Bancroft & Co. $125.
Also Holidav Book Section to include:
THE SHINIEST STAR. 195?
Nfn/vg original box. $75.
If you are not already on our mailing list,
Please send $.78 in stamps for a copy.
M^
7X
seems to have spent his declining years entertaining
children with his puppet theater.
In Europe, the austerities of war and its aftermath
were not propitious for expensive frivolities but across
the Atlantic the firm of McLoughlin Bros, which had
for some time been producing reprints of German
originals (e.g. the flap books in their Pantomime Toy-
book series such as Bluebeard and Sleeping Beauty,
both published in New York about 1890) exploited the
opportunity by plagiarizing a number of German
originals such as J.F. Schreiber's hugely popular
panorama Grosse menagerie. 1884. Business pros-
pered and it continued producing three dimensional
novelties (increasingly of its own design) until well
after World War II - the Jolly Jump-up senes in the
'40s and '50s being particularly associated with its
name.
Here in Britain, the 1 920s seemed to offer fresh
hope of peace and stability. A higher level of general
literacy was producing a widespread thirst for news-
papers, magazines and books, the latter being marketed
for the first time through mail order as well as the more
conventional retail outlets. One of those involved m the
media explosion was S. Louis Giraud who worked m
the promotions department of Beaverbrook's dynamic
Daily Express. One day - out of the blue - he was
visited by an unusual character called Theodore Brown
who showed him some folded paper devices (rather
like moving origami) that their inventor thought might
be exploited as advertising gimmicks Giraud. who was
looking for innovations that could be launched through
the "junior comer" of the paper, jumped at the idea of
incorporating these "self-erecting models" into a series
of children's annuals - and true pop-ups were born!
The first Daily Express children 's annual came out in
1929 with seven of these special 3-D effects, including
a pop-up of Rupert Bear, his first appearance between
covers. Theodore Brown (whose background was in
cinema-photography and stereoscopy) provided the
inspiration and. I believe, designs for the earlier
models; Giraud acted as a gifted manufacturing and
marketing entrepreneur. Five Express annuals
appeared, of increasingly sophisticated design, and
were evidently sufficiently successful for Giraud to live
off the concept and launch his independent Bookano
annuals under the Strand Publications imprint, starting
in 1934. The series continued for 17 further years and
even despite the London Blitz and severe paper
rationing of the Second World War. there was never a
Christmas between then and 195 1 without its Bookano
Stories - "complete with pictures that spring up in
model form."
Questions and Answers
Q. Can the batteries in musical pop-ups be replaced? If
so. where can the batteries be purchased?
Mike Winne
6 Sand Hill Court
Parsippany. N.J. 07054
Offered for Trade
I would like to trade a copy of Moko and Koko in the
jungle by Kubasta for another title in the same series.
Ellen Rubin
66 Lockwood Road
Scarsdale. NY. 10583
New Publications
The following titles have been identified from pre-
publication publicity, publisher's catalogs, or adver-
tising. All titles include pop-ups unless otherwise
identified.
Action robots: A pop-up book showing how they work.
Dial Books for Young Readers. 8% x 1 1 'A 10 pages.
$16.95.0-8037-1843-8.
Ahoy there, little polar bear pop-up book. By Hans de
Beer. North South Books November. 714 x 10.
$15.95 1-55858-438-2.
All things bright and beautiful. Tyndale. September.
$12.99.0-8423-1651-5.
Angels: A celestial celebration. Running Press.
September. 2% x3%. 14 pages. $4.95.
1-51638-605-5.
Bear buys a car: A 3-d picture book. By Stephen
Wyllie. Dial Books for Young Readers. September.
$13.95. 22 pages. 0-8037-1840-3.
Beauty and the beast and other fantastic fairy tales.
By Ron van der Meer. Random House. September.
$19.00. 8 x 11. 10 pages. 0-679-86669-8.
Belle s missing book. A Window Box Book. Mouse
Works. October. 5V 2 x 5 l A. 6 spreads. $7.98.
1-57082-269-7.
This article is printed with permission
of Book and Magazine Collector
London, England
Part 11 will appear in the December issue.
10
Busy beaver pond. One Small Square. W.H. Freeman.
October. 7 x 7. 12 pages. $8.95. 0-7167-66086.
Busy farm: A pop-up book. By Sian Tucker. Little
Simon. October. IO'/axWA. 5 spreads. $12.95.
0-689-80197-1
Can dogs fly? Fido 's book of pop-up transportation
surprises. Dial Books for Young Readers. 7'/ 2 x 9. 12
pages. $9.95.0-8037-1776-8.
Christmas star: A light-up shadowbox book. Dorling
Kindersley. November. 4% x 5. 5 spreads. $9.95.
0-7894-0203-3.
Crazy for you: Two dozen ways to say "I love you ".
Running Press. September. 2V< x 3 l A. 14 pages.
$4.95. 1-51638-607-3.
Creepy crawly crunch cake. Mouse Works. August.
10V4 x 8 'A. $8.98. 1-57082-280-8.
Disney's Christmas is coming! A fold-around pop-up
book featuring Mickey Mouse and friends. Disney
Press. December. 6'A x 8'/ 2 . 10 pages. $1 1.95.
0-7868-3039-5.
A Kwanzaa celebration: Pop-up book. Illustrated by
Robert Sabuda. Little Simon. October. 6 3 /4 x 8.
7 spreads. $1 1 .95. 0-689-80266-8.
Little vampire 's diary. Chronicle. September. 6 x 8'/ 2 .
$12.95.0-8118-1010-0.
Lion cubs at home. One Small Square. W.H. Freeman.
October. 7 x 7. 12 pages. $8.95. 0-7167-6609-4.
Maisy 's house: A pop-up and play book. Candlewick
Press. September. $17.95. 9x9. 1-56402-635-3.
Mortis 's magic glasses: A pop-up adventure. Joshua
Morris. 7 x 9. 18 pages. $1 1.95. 0-89577-695-2.
Mouse 's Christmas house: A press-out model book.
By Michelle Cartridge. Andrews & McMeel. 8V2 x 1 1 .
$9.95.
Disney 's toy story pop-up book. Disney Press.
November. 8 x 10. 8 pages. $13.95. 0-7868-3084-0.
Disney 's villans: a pop-up book. Disney Press.
October. 8 x 10. 12 pages. $13.95. 0-7868-3056-5.
Disney 's Winnie the pooh 's nightmare: A pop-up
book. Disnev Press. August. 8 x 10. $12.95. 12 pages.
0-7868-30 19-0.
The earth in three dimensions: An atlas and pop-up
globe of the world. Dial Books for voung Readers.
14x14. $17,95 0-8037-1739-3.
The golden angel: A pop-up ornament book. By
Penny Ives. Little Simon. October. 2V* x 3'/ 2 . 12
pages. $4.95. 0-689-80332-x.
Gutenberg 's gift. By Nancy Willard. Harcourt Brace .
October. 10x8. 12 pages.'$20.00. 0-15-200783-0.
Happy birthday! A book of best wishes. Running
Press. September. 2 3 A x3%. 14 pages. $4.95.
1-51638-604-9.
Jingle bells. Andrews & McMeel. October. 3 x 3 Y 2 .
$4.95. 0-8362-0018-7.
The jungle book: Mowgli makes a friend. A Tiny
Changing Pictures Book. Disney Press. September.
3% x 3%. $4.95. 0-7868-3068-9.
The musical cherub: A pop-up ornament book. By
Pete Bowman. Little Simon. October. 2 3 /4 x 314 . 12
pages. $4.95. 0-689-80335-4.
The nutcracker. Andrews & McMeel. September.
3% x 4/2. (slipcased) 32 pages. $4.95
0-8362-0772-6.
The painted cherub: A pop-up ornament book. By
Pete Bowman. Little Simon. October. 2 3 /< x 3 'A
12 pages. $4.95. 0-689-80334-6.
The "pop-up " goldilocks and the three bears with
"pop-up "pictures. Illustrated by Harold B. Lentz.
[reproduction]. Applewood Books. October. 8 x 9 l A.
24 pages. $14.95. 1-55709-239-7.
The "pop-up" Puss in-Boots with "pop-up" pictures.
Illustrated by Harold B. Lentz. [reproduction].
Applewood Books. October. 8 x 9 'A 24 pages. $14.95.
1-55709-238-9.
Scare the moon. By Harriet Ziefert. Candlewick.
October. 8x8. 16pages. $12.95. 1-56402-657-4.
Seven great inventions: A pop-up book by Celia King.
Chronicle. September. 4>/ 2 x 5 ! / 2 . $9.95.
0-8118-0912-9.
Silent night. Andrews & McMeel. October. 3 x 3'/ 2 .
$4.95. 0-836-20026-8.
Knights: A 5 '-dimensional exploration. Orchard
Picture Books. September. $17.95. 1 1 x 9'/ 2 . 16 pages.
0-531-09456-1.
Silver bells: A musical pop-up book. Original lyrics by
Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. Little Simon. October.
9% x 10'/ 2 . 6 spreads. $14.95. 0-689-80180-7.
11
Sleeping beauty. Andrews & McMeel. September.
3% x 4'/ 2 . (shpcased) 32 pages. $4.95 0-8362-0769-6.
The snow angel: A pop-up ornament book. By Penny
Ives. Little Simon. October. TA x VA . 12 pages.
$4.95. 0-689-80335-4.
Spider-man: Lizard 's deadly trap! Fun Works.
TAxTA. 10 pages. $6.98. 1-57082-277-1.
Stephen Biesty 's incredible pop-up cross-sections.
Dorling Kindersley. September. IOV2X 13.
3 spreads. 0-7894-0199-1.
Swan lake. Andrews & McMeel. September.
3% x 4 '/;. (slipcased) 32 pages. $4.95
0-8362-0771-8.
Thank you'. Running Press. September. 2% x 3'A.
14 pages. $4.95.1-51638-605-7.
A Victorian Christmas: A 3-dimensional pop-up
village and holiday countdown calendar. Andrews &
McMeel. 12 x 1114. $14.95.
Waiting for Filippo: The life of Renaissance architect
Filippo Brunelleschi. By Michael Bender. Chronicle.
October. 9% x 9 l A. 10 spreads. $19.95.
0-8118-0181-0.
Walt Disney 's Cinderella: A stitch in time. A Tiny
Changing Pictures Book. Disney Press. September.
3V, x VA. $4.95. 0-7868-3057-3.
Wee mouse Christmas: A pop-up book with flaps.
Random House. September. $7.99. 9 spreads. 6x6.
0-679-87091-1.
What 's in the closet? A spooky pop-up book, by Ruth
Tilden. Little Simon. September. 5 x l l A. $8.95
0-689-80267-6.
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The three little kittens in the enchanted forest: A pop-
up adventure. Hyperion. September. 9x9. 16 pages.
$18.95. 0-7868-0137-9.
Where, oh where, is Kipper 's bear? A pop-up book
with light! By Mick Inkpen. Harcourt Brace & Co.
September. 9x7.16 pages. 0-15-200394-0.
The ultimate ocean book: A unique introduction to the
works under water in fabulous, full-color pop-ups. By
Maria Mudd-Ruth. Artists & Writers, October. 9x11.
5 two-page spreads. $19.95. 0-307-17628-2.
Where 's Percy?. A Window Box Book. Mouse Works.
October. 5V 2 x 5'/ 2 . 6 spreads. $7.98. 1-57082-27060.
Unwrap the mummy: A four-foot-long, fact-filled,
pop-up mummy to explore! By Ian Dicks and David
Hawcock. Random House. September. 1 1 spreads.
7 x 15%. 0-679-87028-8.
MOVABLE STATIONERY
The Movable Book Society
P.O. Box 11654
New Brunswick, New Jersev 08906
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